German chemical giant BASF has opened its new hexamethylenediamine (HMD) plant in Chalampe, France- a small town on the country’s eastern border with Germany.
Initially announced in January 2022, the new plant increases BASF’s annual HMD production capacity to 260,000mt. Additionally, the site benefits from its proximity to key raw materials and established industrial infrastructure.
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The facility will play a crucial role in BASF’s plans for its polyamide (PA) 6.6 operations in Europe. Alongside the new HMD plant, the company is also expanding its PA 6.6 production in Freiburg, Germany.
HMD serves as an important component in manufacturing premium PA 6.6 polymers and coatings. It is used in various sectors, including automotive and fibre production.
Dr Stephan Kothrade, member of the board of executive directors of BASF, stated that the new site underscored BASF’s strong commitment to chemical production in Europe and its determination to support regional growth.
“It is yet another example of how we put our ‘Winning Ways’ strategy into action to create long-term value for our company and secure our future competitiveness in a volatile economic environment,” he added.
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By GlobalDataDr Ramkumar Dhruva, president of BASF’s monomers division, said: “Through the new HMD production plant in Chalampe and the expanded PA 6.6 polymerisation in Freiburg, we are ideally positioned to supply our customers reliably with high-quality products.”
According to a GlobalData report, BASF was the most prolific company at making international expansions in the chemicals and plastics industry between Q1 2019 and Q2 2024.
Since 2024, it has announced investments in Uruguay, Mexico, China, Ukraine, and the Netherlands.
